Scouring pad



Filed Dec. 26, 1945 Patented Feb. 8, 1949 SCOURING PAD NilsOskarEllstrm, Aneby, Sweden, assigner, by mesne assignments, to GetramCompany, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York ApplicationDecember 26, 1945, Serial No. 637,234

In Sweden January 11, 1944 1 Claim.

The present invention relates to an improvement in scouring pads whichare used for scouring pots and similar kitchen utensils, and whichcomprise a member made of a length of tubular knitted fabric of steelwire or other metal wire.

It is an object of the present invention to obviate certaindisadvantages inherent in scouring pads as heretofore used, and toprovide a scouring pad which may be easily manufactured and at a smallcost, and which is eiicient, convenient and safe in use. Another objectof the invention is to provide a scouring pad the Various parts of whichare retained in their desired relative positions by their ownelasticity, and for the manufacture of which it shall thus beunnecessary to sew the parts of the pad together with the aid of a metalwire, thus avoiding the possibility of the user of the pad hurting hisngers on the sharp ends of such wire. A further object is to provide ascouring pad which consists essentially of an outer ring-shaped ortorus-shaped member the interior of which is occupied by a comparativelythin inner member or layer of knitted fabric, whereby the scouring padmay be easily cleansed by rinsing it under a water tap after use.

The scouring pad here contemplated is of the type in which each end ofthe tubular fabric member is rolled back annularly upon itself towardthe central portion of the said tubular member so as to form two annularrolls or bodies joined by an intermediate piece of said tubular member.The present invention is mainly characterized by said annular rolls orbodies being angularly displaced relatively to one another,

and by the intermediate piece of the tubular member having a lengthsuiicient to form, due to such angular displacemeniL of the annularrolls or bodies, an approximately helically twisted central portion andsubstantially iiattened Weblike portions flaring from said centralportion and joining it to said annular rolls or bodies, one of saidannular bodies being forced over the other annular body to the oppositeside thereof, whereby the web-like portion joining said firstnamedannular body to said central portion envelops the outer circumference ofsaid second annular body which is thereby retained between said geb-likeportion and said rstnained annular ody.

The two annular rolls or bodies may suitably be further secured to oneanother by means of a number of spot welds along the inner. circumference of the rstnamed annular body.

The invention will be more fully understood from the followingdescription ofv a preferred constructional form thereof, reference beinghad to the accompanying drawing which illustrates various stages of themanufacture of the scouring pad. Fig. 1 shows the tubular knittedmetallic fabric, one end thereof being rolled back annularly uponitself. Fig. 2 shows the two annular rolls orbodies after said bodieshave been angularly displaced relatively to one another through half arevolution at least, so that the intermediate piece of tubular fabrichas obtained the desired twisted or approximately heiical shape. Fig. 3shows a plan view of the scouring pad in its nishedshape, and Fig. 4shows a cross section of the finished pad.

The tubular fabric of which the scouring pad is manufactured, may bemade, for instance, of a steel wire which is first rolled between a pairof rollers so that it obtains an extended cross section havingsuiiciently sharp edges for scour ing kitchen pots and the like. Anysuitable machine, such as a knitting machine, may then be used forweaving or knitting this flattened steel wire into a tubular fabric,from which pieces of a suitable length are cut off. Fig. 1 shows alength I of such fabric. Each end of this tubular fabric member is thenrolled back annularly upon itself toward the central portion of saidmember, so as to produce two annular rolls or bodies 2 and 3 joined by ashort intermediate piece i of the member. It is preferred to roll oneend of the tubular fabric member I into a somewhat thicker roll or body2 than the roll or body 3 formed at the other end of said member,whereby the rstnamed roll or body 2 will become slightly more stiff orrigid than the body `3, whereas the latter will be more elastic orresilient, for a purpose that will presently appear. When the two rollsor bodies 2 and 3 have been formed in this manner, they are turnedrelatively to one another around their common axis through, say,approximately half a revolution. This turning or angular displacement ofthe annular rolls or bodies 2 and 3 relatively to one another obviouslyproduces a twisting of the intermediate piece t. The length of saidintermediate piece l is so selected that, due to the said angulardisplacement of the bodies 2 and 3, the said intermediate piece 4 formsan approximately helically twisted central portion 5 and substantiallyflattened weblike portions 6 and 'l flaring from said central portionand joining it to the said annular rolls or bodies 2 and 3, asillustrated in Fig. 2. The thinner and therefore more elastic roll orbody 3 is now drawn or forced over the thicker roll or .body 2 to theopposite side of the latter, whereby the Web-like portion 1 which joinsthe roil or body 3 to the central portion 5, Will envelop the outercircumference of the thicker annular roll or body 2, as shown in Fig. 4,so that the said body 2 will be retained between the saidWeb-likemrtien- 'l and the annulerbdr 3.- Ofder further to Secure. theparts .of thev nad to one another, it is suitable to apply spot Welds 8at various points along the inner cireumferenee ?s` of the annular body3.

As will be understood from Fig. 3, the central. portion of the scouringpar-d becomes compara tively thin, so that, while said'portion forms aneiective part of the scouring surf-acentthe pad, the latter may easilybe cleaned by rinsing it under a Water tap. Owing to the fact thatl eachend of the tubular fabric member isfrolledl back annularly upon itself,both ends-pf the said member will be embedded within the anmillar-rolls.or bgdies. 2. and. 3., .toA that there is. HQ danger 0fv the user.hurting his.. ngers. Qn Sharp Wire. ends. at theendsqf, the4 ,ifa-A Thfeqenstrliiional. .ferm more. deseribedand .illustratediin thedreivingtab@ regarded as. an. example.. and. it will. br understood that theinvent/ieri Qapable.: 0f valousthanea modifications Within` the scope.-ofA the, accom? panring Gleim..

I olairn;

A scouring pad, comprising atubdlar knitted Ine/talliefabric nieinber,eac'liend-of said tubular member being felled. beek'. annularly- 190mitself toward.' the. @entrai- Perritt; it said? member S0 as to form twoannular .1101 by: ntermediatanece- Qfrsaid tubnlar memorA bodies`ijoinefi :3.,

1li e portion joining said rstnamed annular body to said central portionenvelops the outer circumference of said second annular body, saidsecond. anniilar body being thereby retained betwo I lsaidfweb-.lilieportion and said rstnamed annular"body, and spot welds securing saidanndlar bodies to one another along the inner circumference of saidrstnamed annular body.

NILS OSKAR ELLSTRM.

REFERENCES CITED The iollowing references are of record th ie of thispatent: Y

UNITED STATES PATENTS Caerinanyv -A Aug, 22, 1924

